13 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHSudden ticking noise?
Leading reported evidence
Inspect tensioner pad replacement
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Get the cam deviation checked and inspected for tensioner pad replacement.
Leading evidence: 'Inspect tensioner pad replacement' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'chain riding' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Inspect tensioner pad replacement' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Discussions that suspect a cause
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Suspected cause
The ticking that you hear is likely the chain riding on solid steel of the actuator.
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Suggestion
That is only if you are comfortable running the engine that long.
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Suggestion · Original poster
The engine has only run for only 30-60 seconds at a time on a handful of occasions.
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Suggestion
Once warm and healthy, drive spiritedly using gratuitous throttle and RPM for exercise).
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13 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T074343Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Hi all - my 996 has developed a loud ticking noise. I bought it sight unseen in December and the
post
purchase inspection showed no signs of bore scoring. There is significant cam deviation and the car has remained parked while awaiting repairs, with the exception of moves in and out of my garage during renovations. The engine has only run for only 30-60 seconds at a time on a handful of occasions. It has otherwise spent a lot of quiet time some in my garage on a trickle charger.
what could have caused the sudden change in engine sound while it sat unused?
There is no CEL or anything like that, and the engine runs fine other than the ticking.
First of all, I think you reported an extreme camshaft deviation of 11 degrees, correct? If so, that needs to be corrected asap.
What exactly was done during the inspection to rule out cylinder bore scoring? Did they scope the cylinders?
Why not record the sound. Try to isolate the exact location on the engine where the ticking noise is emitting from. M9X engines tend to score worse on bank#2 and so go to the passenger side fender well and record near the heads.
Record and post here. That helps people with suggestions. Place phone under engine and leave it for 15-20 seconds. That is only if you are comfortable running the engine that long.
This must be a 99-01 996, therefore equipped with a 5 chain engine. The 4/5 timing chains on the cam adjusters will have wear pads that are worn almost in half. The ticking that you hear is likely the chain riding on solid steel of the actuator.
At 11 degrees the chain adjuster wear pad is sully all out ready to break in half from wear.
This is a very common issue with 5 chain engines.
The CEL is worthless. You can have massive mechanical issues, and that stupid light never illuminates. Its primarily monitoring emissions devices. I have engines come here with rods through the case, and every part in the engine junk, and that stupid light never illuminated, and lots of times there's no DTCs logged, either.
yes it�s an 01. My gut tells me you are correct.
That�s frightening. obviously it needs major repairs, but they were delayed during garage renovations. Like I said, I do not drive the car
Not driving the car means generally that oil services are not done on a time basis, only miles. This alone deteriorates the chain wear pads, and makes them soft and susceptible to wear.
Its a repair, but in the right hands it isn't major, as long as you don't "drive it to death" by creating collateral damages. If the chain wear pads are worn into the cam adjuster, the oil is laden with hardened steel shards, and the engine then consumes it's self. The oil filter won't collect it all.
Don't start it again, and get it to someone that understand this failure, and how to adequately address this, as well as pre- qualifying the job by ensuring that collateral damage has yet to be experienced (hopefully).
To put this into perspective for severity, the factory maximum allowable cam deviation is 6 degrees- you are pushing double that.
Thanks for the detailed reply. Notes from the inspection are below.
They said it was fine to drive home at the time, but advised not to drive it much after getting it home. With this ticking noise, I�ll have it towed back in to the shop rather than driven... I hope nothing terrible has happened since inspection
What are you using to measure the cam deviations? I remember reading a post, I believe by Da Jeeper, stating some readers give you crank, not cam deviation. This made the actual cam deviation 1/2 the value. Might explain why no CEL light.
The CEL won't usually set till 14 degrees of deviation is achieved, unfortunately the wear will usually break through the wear pad completely before 14 degrees is reached.
The advice given so far has been good. Get the cam deviation checked and inspected for tensioner pad replacement. You probably want to do top and bottom on the side that�s bad, and if that side is bad, I�m sorry to say that you should have the other side done as well. It�s 7-9 hours of labor for a single side, but not that much more once the exhaust has been removed and the accessories on the one side.
Once the pads are replaced, the ticking can be diagnosed or will simply go away with an oil change and proper driving of the car (Once the engine has been started, it should be driven modestly immediate and brought up to temp (10-15 mins minimum. Once warm and healthy, drive spiritedly using gratuitous throttle and RPM for exercise).
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